By Athena Karsera
A LABOUR Ministry official yesterday said a 1997 decision to employ a foreigner to a post for which Cypriots were fully qualified had been consciously taken by high-ranking Ministry executives.
The statement added a new twist to a Supreme Court decision on Thursday in favour of a worker who took the Labour Ministry to Court for not fully investigating whether qualified Cypriots were available to fill a position at the British Council.
Briton Anthony Paul Sellers carried out the duties of examination services director for a period from June 26, 1997 to June 26, 1999. The Supreme Court decision said the evidence suggested an equivalent Cypriot worker had not been properly sought, as required by law.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail yesterday, the senior Labour Ministry official, who did not want to be named said, “An investigation was carried out and it was concluded that Cypriots were able to fill the position but the decision to employ the Englishman was taken very high up.”
The suit was filed against the Labour Ministry and the Immigration Officer by Nicosia resident and British Council employee Foulla Hadjiharou Pavlidou, who had expressed interest in the position.
According to the court decision, the British Council on June 3 1997 applied to the Immigration Officer on Sellers’ behalf, attaching a letter from the head of the Labour Department informing the head of the British Council that he did not object to the applicant being employed for two years, provided a residence and work permit were obtained.
These were issued and Sellers was allowed to carry out his duties from June 26, 1997. Less than a month later, on July 3, 1997, workers’ union Sek requested that the Labour Minister withdraw the work permit, as there were Council staff interested in and qualified to fill the position.
Representing Pavlidou, Sek said that legal action would be taken as the decision had gone against the law on the employment of foreigners. The Ministry, however, did not alter its decision and Pavlidou’s suit followed.
A representative from Sek yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that they were morally satisfied by the decision and that the next step would probably be obtaining compensation from the government.
Michalis Michail said that Hadjiharou had been carrying out the duties of the examination’s service director for 20 years, but had been denied the promotion.
Other representatives from the Labour Ministry refused to comment on the case yesterday while the British Council said that the issue had been between the person filing the suit and the Ministry.
